r° I I/)-. 



' *i III 



THE BOARD OF EDUCATION 
OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO 



REPORT OF THE 
SUPERINTENDENT 
OF SCHOOLS FOR 
THE YEAR 1915-16 



Schools for the Deaf The Work for Defective 

Schools for the Blind Speech 

Schools for Crippled Children The School in the Cook 

Detention Home County Hospital 

Frances Juvenile Home for Girls Prevocational Center in Ray 

The Home for Girls School 



JOHN D. SHOOP 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 



THE BOARD OF EDUCATION 
OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO 



REPORT OF THE 
SUPERINTENDENT 
OF SCHOOLS FOR 
THE YEAR 1915-16 



Schools for the Dear The Work for Defective 

Schools for the Blind Speech 

Schools for Crippled Children The School in the Cook 

Detention Home County Hospital 

Frances Juvenile Home tor Girls Prevocational Center in Ray 

The Home for Girls School 






,H\T1I 



JOHN D. SHOOP 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 






November 28, 1916. 

Mr. John D. Shoop, 

Superintendent of Schools. 
My Dear Mr. Shoop: 

I have the honor to transmit herewith reports on 
the special work of the Board of Education for the 
year 1915-16 as follows, i. e., 

Schools for the Deaf. 

Schools for the Blind. 

Schools for Crippled Children. 

Detention Home. 

Frances Juvenile Home for Girls. 

The Home for Girls. 

The Work for Defective Speech. 

The School in the Cook County Hospital. 

Prevocational Center in Ray School. 

Very truly yours, 

Samuel B. Allison, 
District Superintendent in 
Charge of Special Schools. 
O Of D. 
MAY fj J9f? 



Schools for the Deaf 

The Need of Adequate School Facilities for the Deaf 
— So far back as 1875 Chicago opened classes for the deaf. 
This is over forty years ago. During this time classes for the 
deaf have been housed in various buildings as the movement of 
population made rooms, not needed for regular grades, available. 
During all this time deaf children had no settled school residence. 
Did the regular school population increase and crowd upon the 
school space the deaf classes were the first to feel the pressure. 
It was the deaf classes that must occupy the room with some 
other or be removed to some district where there were rooms 
vacant of hearing pupils. The result was that the instruction of 
the deaf lagged very perceptibly behind that of our Eastern 
cities. The classes were practically ungraded. Each teacher, 
for the most part, had children ranging from kindergarten age 
up through the eighth grade and beyond. It was not until 1912 
that a movement was set on foot by the "Society of Parents of 
Oral Deaf Children of Chicago" looking toward to the consolida- 
tion of the classes for the deaf in permanent centers and the 
building for these centers adequate school accommodations. In 
view of the long period of years that the deaf children have been 
without adequate school accommodations and without the bene- 
fits of a graded condition it would seem that the deaf have 
particular claim on the Board for immediate consideration of 
building needs. 

Consolidation — Consolidation has already been practically 
accomplished. Each side of the city has now a school. The 
Parker Practice serves the South side, the Delano the West and 
the Waters the North side of the city. The benefits of a graded 
condition is already making itself felt in increased effectiveness 
of instruction. 

The Kozminski Division — The consolidation would be com- 
plete if the Kozminski division were united with the Parker 
Practice School for Deaf. Excellent work is being done in this 
class. On account, however, of the ungraded condition the mem- 
bership can not be kept as high as in the graded condition. It 
can not be doubted that the excellent results now obtained would 



be augmented were the teacher working in a graded class. The 
class is attending in a small room off the library and suffers 
much disturbance by the necessary use of the building by the 
activities of the hearing classes. Before, however, this class can 
have the benefit of a graded condition more room must be forth- 
coming at the Parker Practice School. 

The Parker Practice School — Owing to the many activ- 
ities centering at this school there is not suitable nor adequate 
space accommodation for the classes there. There is urgent 
need for some means of relieving the situation. So far no prac- 
ticable way out has been suggested, looking to any alteration of 
the present building for this purpose. If the present building 
is to remain for the use of the hearing grades it is evident that 
the deaf will have to be housed in a separate building on Parker 
grounds or elsewhere. 

Two plans suggest themselves with reference to the loca- 
tion of a building for the deaf in connection with the Parker 
Practice School. The first is to locate the building to the east 
of the present one on the campus. This would be an ideal loca- 
tion as it would make a group of three with those now there 
facing the north. This would not disfigure the campus but 
would render harmonious the group already there. 

The second plan is to buy the property to the rear of the 
present building from the railroad to Stewart Avenue, have 
Normal Parkway condemned and place the new building about 
40 feet from the gymnasium south of the present Parker Prac- 
tice School. This would locate the new building some 150 feet 
from the car line on Sixty-ninth Street. 

I would recommend the latter of these plans and urge that 
immediate steps be taken to procure such a site and erect a 
building. This building should contain about 18 rooms 24x26 
with gymnasium and assembly hall combined together with lunch 
room, shops and bath. 

The Delano School — This school is rapidly increasing in 
numbers and soon will be the largest center for the deaf. At 
present this school consists of thirteen divisions. It is very in- 
adequately housed at the Delano, where two classes occupy the 
same room with portable blackboards for partitions between 
them. This condition makes the best results impossible. It is 



unfortunate that the conditions surrounding the Delano make 
the building of an addition to it for the housing of the deaf in- 
advisable. Because of this the building to house the deaf classes 
at the Delano has been planned ta be built as an addition to the 
Tilton. This school is in the neighborhood of the Delano and 
those families that have moved near the Delano will not be com- 
pelled to remove in order to remain in walking distance of the 
school. 

The Waters School — This school has also been running 
with two teachers to the class room. It will be relieved, how- 
ever, as soon as the new Alexander Graham Bell School is com- 
pleted. One wing of this building has been built for the ac- 
commodation of the Waters School for the deaf. This school 
will be completed sometime in the next school year. The new 
Bell School for the deaf will be one of the best appointed schools 
for the deaf in the United States. Every facility for carrying 
on the work will be present in the building and equipment. The 
naming of this building was a particularly happy stroke. The 
name of Alexander Graham Bell adorns equally well the school 
for the deaf or the school for hearing children. His name is 
foremost in scientific invention and in advancing the course of 
education for the deaf. His connection with the Volta Bureau, 
an institution for the advancement of deaf instruction will be of 
general interest. 

The Course of Study — The year has been signallized by the 
adoption of a course of study for the deaf. This has been 
greatly needed. Chicago has never had a complete Course of 
Study for the Deaf on account of the ungraded condition of its 
classes. 

The course is modelled on the most approved lines. It pro- 
vides for kindergarten instructions for children under six years 
of age and for eight "years'' or up to fifth grade of the regular 
work. At that point it is planned that deaf children having com- 
pleted the eight "years" shall be able to continue their work in 
in the regular schools. Bright deaf children will be no doubt 
able to complete the "years" in much shorter time. The 'course 
is planned for the average child. With each year is given an 
especial vocabulary as a minimum requirement. 

The course makes liberal provision for handwork throughout. 



Construction work is provided for pupils up to twelve years of 
age and the more formal handworks for those more advanced 
in years. For those above twelve years of age printing and 
woodwork are provided for the boys ; sewing and cooking for the 
girls. A vocabulary for each handwork is given so that progress 
in oral speech goes along with progress in handwork. The class 
room teacher is usually present in the work-room to aid in giv- 
ing practice in the vocabulary peculiar to the work. In this way 
interest and motive are given for acquiring a vocabulary. The 
vocabulary learned is practical and needed in everyday use. 

Kindergarten for the Deaf — It is to be hoped that in the 
near future kindergarten training may be given every young 
deaf child in Chicago. Kindergarten training is almost neces- 
sary for acquiring a mastery of oral speech. Speech must be- 
come a habit if it is to be a practical means of communication. 
Difficulties stand in the way of such training but this should not 
deter. Those having young deaf children should be prevailed 
upon to move in the vicinity of a school for the deaf, so that 
the child may be kept but one session of the school. 

Handwork in the Education of the Deaf — There has 
been a feeling quite widely prevalent that the logical procedure 
for the education of the deaf demanded that their time should be 
taken up largely with linguistic exercises. Notwithstanding this 
feeling, experiment has shown that great progress is had in ac- 
quiring a vocabulary and meaning in connection with occupa- 
tional exercises where care is taken to teach a practical vocabu- 
lary in connection with the use of tools and problems arising in 
the various handworks. It is only another and practical way 
of giving adequate motive for the effort needed in acquiring 
speech means of communication. In some schools fully half of 
the time is used in active employment of various kinds without 
detriment to the progress in speech and meanings. Owing to the 
small size of classes it was found very inconvenient to segre- 
gate the boys and girls in their handwork. Segregation also in- 
volved the teaching of separate vocabularies to boys and girls 
in the class room. To surmount this difficulty the experiment 
was tried of giving both boys and girls the same handworks. 
This plan has had the enthusiastic endorsement of the pupils 
and teachers. 



Confirming the importance of handwork for the deaf as a 
basis for effective exercise in oral speech extracts from a report 
of a teacher of one of our special classes of deaf are given: 

"After having had several years of experience with a class 
of incorrigible, ungraded deaf boys the writer has proved that 
strenuous work, manual labor, in its various forms, is the best 
means of giving such types an education. 

"I saw the utter hopelessness of trying to interest a class of 
boys on the physical plane, in anything academic. Thereupon, I 
decided to launch out in another direction. I laid out my plans 
before the boys and you should have seen the light come to their 
faces when I said, 'From now on, we will have manual work all 
day and every day.' 

"Our contact with iron made us long to know more about 
it and we were led to the discovery of the mines. Of course, we 
wanted to know about the different kinds of wood and that 
opened up the subject of lumbering. Measuring and drawing 
to a scale took us directly into fractions. We soon found out 
how ignorant we were, but we conquered each difficult step as 
it appeared. 

"Walter Thiele's working drawings of the Moline automobiles 
has won for him a position with the Moline establishment. 

"Irvin Thomas, a boy who had no co-ordination, has ex- 
hibited creditable work. He makes friends wherever he goes 
and wants to have a grocery store of his own. 

"George Eccles' power turned to inventions and his making 
of a toy submarine boat proved his ability to his uncle who is 
now paying his tuition in the Wright School for the Deaf in 
New York City where he is doing excellent work. 

"Michael LaSchiara is doing carpenter work and shows a 
good record. 

"Andrew Huls is a cutter of garments earning eighteen 
dollars a week." 

Classes for Semi-Deaf — It has been the policy to open spe- 
cial classes in each deaf school for the special teaching of lip 
reading (a) to those having speech without hearing or (b) those 
becoming progressively deaf ; (c) those permanently hard of hear- 
ing with good speech. In all these cases it is not in typical cases 
necessary to teach oral speech. It is important (a) to preserve 
the speech through use and practice; (b) to give facility in lip- 
reading. It is not good procedure to keep such persons in regu- 
lar oral classes where much time is given to drills on oral speech. 
Many pupils needing this special work are scattered throughout 



the elementary schools. It is probable that there is on the average 
one such pupil to the school. Owing to lack of room no effort 
has been made to concentrate these pupils from the grades. With 
the opening of the new Bell School the northside will have ample 
accommodation for all pupils needing this special work. 

State Appropriation — The State legislature at its last 
session provided an appropriation to reimburse the City of Chi- 
cago for excess per capita cost over that of normal pupils of 
educating the deaf. This appropriation provides a maximum 
of $38,500 per annum for this purpose. There will be a reim- 
bursement from this source of $19,000.00 for the year just 
closed. 

This increased and special revenue will aid greatly in de- 
veloping the instruction for the deaf children in our schools to 
the highest point of efficiency and make possible improvements 
which were prohibited by the burden of expense coming wholly 
from the education fund provided for the normal child. 

Rooms for Ungraded Deaf — The practical working out of 
the oral method makes a differentiation of pupils with regard to 
their ability to learn oral speech imperative. There is probably 
a larger per cent of backward pupils among the deaf than among 
the hearing children. There are pupils in every center to whom 
it is impractical to teach oral speech with a hope or a purpose 
of giving them thereby a usable method of communication. For 
the accommodation of these pupils rooms for backward deaf have 
been opened in each school. 

In these rooms the work is made concrete. Different forms 
of handwork are provided, and written language emphasized. 
Very good results have been shown and the teachers have been 
relieved of the fear that their efficiency would be judged by the 
progress of this type of pupil. 

There should be at least two ungraded rooms in each center. 
One for the older backward and hopelessly retarded pupils and 
one for the younger pupils as soon as their backwardness is 
demonstrated. 

This phase of the work constitutes a very important advance. 
It at once relieves the teacher of the regular room of the handi- 
cap which the backward children give her in the regular instruc- 
tion and affords them at the same time a procedure more ade- 

8 



quate to their individual needs. It gives opportunity for the 
emphasis of lip-reading, and writing, as a means of communica- 
tion together with handwork as an educative and practical means. 
In view of the importance of this work in all our schools for 
deaf, practice students in the normal college should be assigned 
to the ungraded rooms in the Parker Practice School for the 
deaf. The teacher of an ungraded room needs a somewhat 
broader capability in handworks and a somewhat greater intensi- 
fication in certain aspects of deaf instruction. If classes for 
special teachers of exceptional children should be opened at the 
College, teachers of ungraded divisions should take the course. 
They certainly should come in contact with the backward deaf 
child, no matter what kind of division she may teach. 

Training of Teachers — Since the reduction of the length 
of time) necessary to qualify for teaching the deaf at the Nor- 
mal College, from three years to two, the number of teachers 
taking the course has increased to the extent that a large surplus 
of teachers is at present on hand for this department. There are 
ten teachers now available with certificates from our Normal 
School; five more will graduate in June, making a surplus of 
fifteen. This will be more than the system can absorb in many 
years. The situation seems to warrant the return to former re- 
quirements of three years for making the course. In any case, 
these teachers graduating in this course should be put on the 
regular eligible list of teachers in the order of their ranks and be 
assigned to the regular grades when reached. They should not 
be required to wait until the whole list is assigned. This is pun- 
ishing them for taking the special course. The special course 
does not detract from their fitness for the regular work. There 
is not such a radical difference between fitness for the regular 
and the deaf teaching. The teacher of deaf intensifies and em- 
phasizes certain aspects of the teaching procedure. 

Cadets — In view of the likelihood that cadets entering the 
work for the deaf will for a time at least be obliged to be as- 
signed to hearing grades, it is no more than justice to allow the 
four months' term cadetship served in the deaf school to qualify 
for assignment if satisfactory in a hearing division. The full 
term of cadetship should be required for assignment to a deaf 
division. 



DEAF 
STATISTICS 

Number Admitted (For year to date) : 

Boys Girls Total 

Not by transfer 168 131 299 

By transfer: 

From other school 8 7 15 

From some other room in building 46 14 60 

Total Admitted 222 152 374 

Left the school 127 68 195 

Transferred to another room in same building 46 14 60 

Returned 103 64 167 

Number Belonging 152 134 286 

Membership by Years and Grades at Close of Month : 

Kindergarten 14 10 24 

First year 9 9 18 

Second year 8 11 19 

Third year 24 16 40 

Fourth year 10 9 19 

Fifth year 18 10 28 

Sixth year 11 8 19 

Seventh year 5 6 11 

Eighth year 8 11 19 

Fifth grade 

Sixth grade 3 4 7 

Seventh grade 7 8 15 

Eighth grade 2 6 8 

Ungraded 29 16 45 

Semi-deaf 11 8 19 

Total 163 123 286 

Average Daily Membership 268.5 

Average Daily Attendance 252.0 

COST 

Appropriation, fiscal year 1916: 

For Teachers' Salaries $51,855.00 

Construction Supplies 469.00 

Transportation 2,900.00 

Total $55,224.00 

PER CAPITA (On Appropriation for 1916) : 

Tuition $205.74 

Construction Supplies 1.94 

Transportation 11.50 

General Supplies 20 

$219.38 



10 



Centers for the Blind 

June 7, 1916. 
Mr. J. D. Shoop, 

Superintendent of Schools. 
My Dear Mr. Shoop: 

I respectfully present to you the report of the work of the 
Blind Department for the year 1915-1916. 

The total enrollment of blind pupils in the Chicago Public 
Schools during the past year was fifty-one. Of this number, 
forty-one were enrolled in the eight elementary grades, and ten 
in high school classes. Elementary school diplomas were re- 
ceived by five girls and one boy ; and one boy was graduated from 
high school. 

As in former years, the Board of Education furnished free 
of charge, books in the American Braille system of raised print, 
typewriting and Braille paper, and materials for construction 
work. Car fare was provided for all children who used the 
elevated or surface lines in going to and from school. 

The printing office was in operation during the summer of 
1915 and on Saturdays of the school year of 1915-1916. It has 
been possible to get along with this small amount of time be- 
cause the changes in textbooks have not been numerous in re- 
cent years. But when a period of greater change is reached, 
the number of days devoted to printing should be materially in- 
creased. This increase, however, may be postponed until the 
schools of the United States have adopted a uniform type for 
the blind, which, it now seems certain, they will do in a year 
or two. During the past year, in addition to the routine work 
of supplying classes with books from plates on hand, new plates 
were made for an ancient history to be used in high school. 

In the elementary grades the pupils made satisfactory prog- 
ress in all lines of endeavor. In the subjects of reading, arith- 
metic, geography, spelling, grammar, history and music they 
pursued their studies as members of the regular classes. Sup- 
plied with completed sets of Braille textbooks, with Braille 
number slates for work in mathematics, and with standard 
typewriters for written work, they possessed opportunities al- 
ii 



most equal to those of their seeing schoolmates. As all daily 
exercises and examination tests were marked by the grade 
teachers, the pupils in all cases were measured by the standard 
of efficiency prevailing in the school in which they were enrolled. 

Much of the time of the special teacher of the blind was given 
to the academic subjects, but various forms of hand training 
were not neglected. It has been thought wise to let the age and 
development of the child determine the character of this work 
rather than the number of the grade to which he belongs. 

At the outset, bead work was given to the smaller children. 
Cups and saucers, little chairs, ornamental flowers, etc., were 
made. This work is valuable not only as hand training but also 
as a means of developing number ideas. 

Both raffia and reed were used extensively. The completion 
of simple articles was followed by the making of more preten- 
tious ones, such as baskets and lamps. Good results were ob- 
tained in weaving. Small hand looms were used, for which the 
younger children are ready after power has been gained from the 
drill in bead work. The materials employed were jute and car- 
pet warp. The problems were small mats and rugs for play- 
houses, and larger and more serviceable floor mats were made 
by sewing several small ones together. The older pupils used 
larger hand looms, and with supervision in the arrangement of 
colors, made very attractive rugs and table scarfs. Rag rug 
weaving was also done on these looms. 

The girls are taught to knit, crochet and sew when they have 
developed skill in handling the larger media of reed and raffia. 
This year the knitting problems were wash cloths and shawls. 
Rag rugs and shawls were crocheted and also many kinds of 
coarse laces for towels and doilies. The work in sewing con- 
sisted of teaching the different stitches and making simple ar- 
ticles, such as caps and aprons to be used in the cooking class, 
and other simple garments. 

Weekly cooking lessons were given to the girls of the sixth, 
seventh and eighth grades. They kept accurate notebooks, de- 
veloped skill in the preparation of simple articles of diet, learned 
food values, gained ideas in economical buying, and acquired 
habits of neatness and precision. 

After the boys have become somewhat proficient in reed 
and raffia work and in weaving, they enter the manual training 

12 



shop. Many of the problems given in the regular manual train- 
ing classes were successfully worked out this year, the boys de- 
riving pleasure as well as profit from the activity. 

Physical training is of especial importance to the blind. 
Physical culture teachers visited the centers twice a month dur- 
ing the year. At such times they conducted the lessons, made 
suggestions to the teachers and planned the course of training 
to be pursued. 

The work of the high school pupils was creditable. It is not 
possible to supply them with Braille textbooks to the extent to 
which it is in the elementary grades. Books for supplementary 
reading, too, are almost wholly lacking. Thus the blind student is 
handicapped by not being able to read for himself. This diffi- 
culty was obviated through the kindness of classmates, who did 
more reading for the blind students than during any previous 
year. With this assistance our boys and girls have not only 
done well in the various subjects of study pursued by them, but 
they have been enabled to participate in other stimulating ac- 
tivties of school life. They were members of the literary society 
and took part in debating and oratorical contests. One girl was 
a member of the high school orchestra. 

An encouraging feature of the work is the fact that no blind 
graduate of a Chicago high school who has desired a higher 
training has failed to receive a college education free of tuition 
charges. In such cases university authorities do not grant 
scholarships as a matter of charity. They feel that they are, in 
a measure, equalizing conditions for the blind student, who must 
undergo great expense in purchasing books and in employing 
readers. In accordance with this generous policy, the Univer- 
sity of Chicago granted a scholarship to a blind young man who 
was graduated from the Wendell Phillips High School in June 
of this year. This is the fourth time such action has been taken 
by the University of Chicago for one of our pupils. 

Although the results of the year are, on the whole, encourag- 
ing, a consideration of what has been accomplishd in other cities 
'suggests the desirability of making some changes and additions. 

It would be an advantage if the girls could be taught sewing 
by a teacher of the Household Arts Department instead of by 
the teacher in charge of the room for the blind. Under this 
arrangement the latter teacher would have more time for other 

13 



problems, and the pupils would receive the benefit of the expert 
training and specialized skill of the Household Arts teacher. 

It is desirable that the Board of Education should provide 
piano lessons and instruction in vocal music for all pupils who 
are capable of profiting by such training. Many of our pupils 
have been obtaining an education in music at their own expense, 
but the opportunity should be open to all. The advantages they 
offer in this line constitute a strong claim on the part of the 
residential schools for the blind, and the public school systems 
of some of our cities have made provision for thorough work 
in music. 

It would be a great advantage if piano-tuning could be taught 
to our boys during their high school course. Of all the occupa- 
tions open to the blind man few, if any, offer more certain or 
more remunerative employment. 

In the interest of the conservation of vision, it is hoped that 
classes for the partially blind may be established in the near 
future. In New York City, Boston and Cleveland, where the 
work is already being carried on, experience has demonstrated 
the value of such classes. The importance of the subject is in- 
dicated by the establishment of national, state and local societies 
for the conservation of vision. 

Respectfully submitted, 

JOHN B. CURTIS, 
Supervisor of the Blind. 



14 



Schools for Crippled Children 

History — The following history of the movement for the 
care and education of crippled children in Chicago has been fur- 
nished by Dr. John Ridlon who has been identified with the work 
from its inception: 

"No charity work for cripples was done in Chicago by any- 
one having had orthopedic training before I came here in 1892. 

"Among other letters of introduction which I brought was 
one to Mr. Geo. M. Pullman. He was interested in the care of 
children, having endowed the Florence ward in St. Luke's Hos- 
pital, and contemplating and endowing a Children's Hospital in 
memory of his mother. During the summer — 1892 — he gave the 
use of a farm on the river somewhat south of the town of Pull- 
man, and his daughter, Miss Florence Pullman (now Mrs. Frank 
O. Lowden) provided the support, the care and the nursing for 
ten children every two weeks; and I provided the crippled chil- 
dren and attended to their surgical needs. 

"During the summer of 1893 Mrs. Emma E. Stelle became in- 
terested in a home for crippled children conducted on the north- 
west side by a Dr. Prince. Dr. Prince had been an episcopal 
clergyman, and a homeopathic physician, and finally had become 
a "charity worker:" He had five crippled children in his house, 
caring for them, and he was under the conviction that all crip- 
pled children were hopeless cases — that nothing could be done 
for them by any form of treatment. 

"Mrs. Stelle organized the Home for Destitute Crippled 
Children and obtained a charter for it during 1893. I was a 
member of the board of directors, and continued to be for over 
twenty years. Mrs. Stelle organized a number of auxiliary so- 
cieties, and raised about $8,000. Then the old residence (Mun- 
son?) on the southeast corner of Park Avenue and Paulina 
Street was bought for $32,000. I was a member of the com- 
mittee that selected the place. Dr. Prince was the first superin- 
tendent, and he brought with him the five crippled children that 
he had been caring for, but would bring them only on condition 
that these children be given no treatment unless approved by 
him. 

"I was the surgeon-in-Charge of the Home for Destitute Crip- 
pled Children from its opening up to about three years ago. All 
during this time educating the children was contemplated, and 

15 



hoped for, but nothing of any real account was done in an educa- 
tional way. The institution although called a 'Home,' was really 
a hospital and dispensary. 

"In the fall of 1892 I established a clinic for cripples at the 
Northwestern University Medical School. Later on at the 
Woman's Medical College, and about five years ago at the Rush 
Medical College. 

"Some years ago the Home for Disabled Children at May- 
wood was established, mainly by the efforts of Mr. H. Hart and 
Miss Katy Smith, who at one time had been a patient at the 
Home for Destitute Crippled Children. Mr. Hart sought my 
advice in the matter, and on my recommendation the superin- 
tendent and the orthopedic surgeons have been appointed. I have 
served as consulting orthopedic surgeon for several years. 

"The next move for the care of cripples was by Mrs. Wil- 
liam J. Chalmers. She had been a member of the Board of 
Directors of the Home for Destitute Crippled Children for a 
few months in 1893, but could not work harmoniously with Mrs. 
Stelle. She, however, kept in touch with Dr. Prince, even after 
he left the Home for Destitute Crippled Children. 

"After the death of Mr. Eccles, he being president of the 
board of directors of the Home for Destitute Crippled Children, 
Mrs. Chalmers gave an entertainment to raise money to build 
a convalescent home for crippled children in memory of Mr. 
Eccles. She raised only about $17,000 or $18,000— too little 
to be of use for the object. The money? was put aside until it 
amounted to about $20,000. Then at a chance meeting with Mrs. 
Chalmers I interested her in the need of a country home for 
convalescent crippled children. She at once began the raising 
of money, which has resulted in the institution at Prince Cross- 
ing. During the absence of Mrs. Chalmers abroad I selected the 
farm and induced the late Mr. Richard W. Sears to buy it ; and 
on Mrs. Chalmers' return the building was commenced. At that 
time it was called the Convalescent Home for Crippled Children, 
and was a part of the Home for Destitute Crippled Children. 
Later on the two institutions separated and the name was per 
force changed to Convalescent Home for Children. 

"The first special educational work for crippled children was 
begun when Mr. Graham Harris was President of the Board of 
Education. I directed Mr. Harris' attention to the matter, and 
the needs of crippled children in Chicago. This was not difficult, 
since his wife and sister-in-law, Mrs. McElwee, were members of 
the board of directors of the Home for Destitute Crippled Chil- 
dren. Mr. Harris sent Mr. Bodine to investigate the private 
school for crippled children in Boston and its methods. Present- 
ly a teacher — Mrs. Haskell — was assigned to this work in a school 
on Lake Street, and busses were provided to bring and take home 
the children. 

16 



"Not long after Miss Prouty was assigned to a similar work in 
the Fallon School. I cared for the surgical needs of these chil- 
dren by occasional visits to these schools and at my clinic at the 
Northwestern University Medical School and at the Home for 
Destitute Cripped Children. 

"In course of time the Board of Education became interested 
in these crippled children, and planned the building of three spe- 
cial schools for them, each to cost $100,000. The scheme went 
so far that land was bought and warrants to pay for it drawn, but 
not signed, and the architect's plans completed, when at the in- 
stance of Miss Jane Addams and Mrs. Emmons Blaine my ad- 
vice was asked. I argued that the first thing to do was to find 
out how many cripples needed these special schools, and where 
they lived. I was directed to do this. I did it and presented 
my report, recommending that but one school be built at that 
time ; that it be placed on the west, but not too far away from the 
Home for Destitute Crippled Children so that the Home could 
care for the surgical needs of the pupils, and the school care for 
the education of the patients in the Home. Someone objected 
that land could not be had in the neighborhood of the Home. I 
pointed out the property where the Spalding School now is. The 
architect objected that the plans for the building were completed, 
and called for a building facing north. I replied that the land 
suggested called for a building facing north ! Hence the Spald- 
ing School; Jesse Spalding having been the father of Mrs. Gra- 
ham Harris. 

"The connection between the school and the Home has been 
rather fitful. . Walking cases have been sent from the Home to 
the school ; but only from time to time has a teacher been sent 
from the school to instruct the children in bed at the Home. And 
only at rare intervals has any orthopedic surgeon attended the 
patients in the school, although frequently cases have come from 
the school for treatment in the dispensary of the Home. Little, 
if anything, has been done for the education of the children in 
the Home for Disabled Children at Maywood beyond sending 
walking cases to the nearest public school. 

"At the Convalescent Home at Prince Crossing a school build- 
ing has been built and a teacher has been regularly employed. 
But in all places friction arises between the school management 
and the home management, the teacher wishing the children to do 
work of normal children, and the nurse not wanting the child to 
do enough school work to pull down his health. Perhaps it would 
be better if both the superintendent of the school and the super- 
intendent of the institution were subordinated to a competent 
orthopedic surgeon, who considers both the physical and the ed- 
ucational needs of these children." 



17 



THE SPALDING SCHOOL 

crippled children. It is a one-story and attic building, only slightly 
elevated above street level. On the ground floor are five class- 
rooms, assembly hall which is also a kitchen, a dining room, a rest 
room with beds, a bath room, and a nurse's room. In the attic, 
which is approached by an incline, are the industrial rooms. The 
children are now protected against accident in case of fire by a 
specially designed fire escape just completed. An incline 100 feet 
long leads from each end of the attic directly to the ground. Un- 
der the rotary system twice as many children are being cared for 
in the building as it was designed for. 

The Board of Education has authorized the erection of an 
addition at a cost of $82,000.00. It will contain four class 
rooms, three large industrial rooms, an assembly hall with stage, 
nurse's room, rest room, receiving room, toilets, bath room and a 
large sun room with glass roof. 

Enrollment — The enrollment is 225 children, 25 of these are 
confined to their beds in the Home for Destitute Crippled Chil- 
dren. One teacher is assigned to this class. The other 200 are 
carried to and from school in comfortably heated and ventilated 
motor busses, which just a year ago replaced the antiquated horse 
busses. On each bus is a man or woman attendant, who loads 
the busses, carrying the children when necessary. The annual per 
capita cost for transportation is $100.00. The motor busses have 
made it possible to enlarge the school district. The children 
travel long distances, some of them leaving their homes at 7:00 
o'clock in the morning. 

Physical Defects — The policy of the school is to take in all 
crippled children who apply, even though the deformity may be 
very slight, so that advice and assistance may be given parents in 
obtaining proper treatment. This might be accomplished in the 
normal school, but it is usually a long process of persuasion, often 
the end is reached by showing them another child similarly afflict- 
ed who has been benefitted by treatment. 

The first aim of the school is to improve the physical condition 
of the child. The actual school work gives place always to this. 
The following means are employed : Operations, adjustments of 
casts and braces, corrective gymnastics, daily dressing of sinuses, 
baths for medical purposes, milk in the morning and a warm 

18 



Building — The Spalding School was designed especially for 
lunch at noon furnished by the Board of Education. In March 
the Board authorized the purchase of dental equipment and the 
hiring of a masseuer. The Board of Health sends an oculist 
with necessary equipment for examining eyes. The Child Study 
Department keeps in close touch with the school, examining chil- 
dren, suggesting treatment and giving talks to the teachers. 

The school is especially indebted to physicians who give their 
services at the daily clinics at the Home for Destitute Crippled 
Children. Because of the location, most of the children are taken 
to these clinics. A few, however, are taken to the Children's Me- 
morial Hospital, Cook County, Rush Medical Dispensary, and St. 
Luke's. At all of these centers children whose parents cannot 
afford to pay, are treated by the best surgeons in this city as 
faithfully as the children of more fortunate parents are treated 
in their private practice. Hospital care is free, through months 
and even years, and braces are supplied by the county. The only 
stumbling block in the path of the child is the parent who refuses 
to accept the advice of men who have given a lifetime of service 
and study to the best methods of treatment. 

The work in corrective gymnastics is under the direction of 
Miss Rose Kearnly, a teacher of physical culture, and the class 
room teachers who co-operate with her daily and hourly. Teachers 
of crippled children are required by the Board of Education to 
take a special course in diseases, treatment and care of crippled 
children. Some wonderful results have been obtained, especially 
when parents appeared to have visited the school and have carried 
out the suggestions given for practice and exercise at home. 
Many children have been taken out of wheel-chairs and put upon 
crutches. One girl, seventeen years old, who physicians said 
would never walk, now uses her wheel-chair only to go up and 
down the incline. A boy who had never been on his feet and who 
could not learn to read was taught to use crutches. The physical 
awakening brought a corresponding mental effort and he has 
learned to read. 

If there is any question as to the advisability of such exer- 
cise, the child is taken to the clinic. Fifty per cent of the chil- 
dren are partially paralyzed, the majority as a result of infantile 
paralysis; 25 per cent have tuberculosis of the bone (no pulmon- 
ary tuberculosis cases are received). The other 25 per cent have 

19 



been crippled through various diseases, congenital deformity, or 
have been maimed by accidents; 12^2 per cent are subnormal; 
\2y 2 per cent are confined to wheel-chairs, which are furnished 
at the school by the Board of Education. Speech defects and im- 
paired vision are present in a large percentage of cases. 

Academic Work — The regular course of study outlined for 
the eight grades of elementary school is followed. The Board 
has authorized a high school department at the Spalding for chil- 
dren who cannot attend the regular high schools. 

Industrial Work — It has always been the policy of the prin- 
cipal and teachers at the Spalding to teach various kinds of hand- 
work, not only for its educational value, but for the physical 
development and the future possible financial independence of 
the child. Since January 1, 1916, special attention has been 
given to this work, new equipment added and new courses of- 
fered. In March, after the Superintendent of Schools accom- 
panied by members of the Board had made several visits to the 
school, an additional appropriation of $4,000.00 was made to 
cover the cost of equipment, material and services of teachers. 

What each child can do is found by a process of elimination. 
He is allowed to attempt anything. The confidence developed and 
the ingenuity displayed in accomplishing tasks seemingly impos- 
sible under the physical hardships are amazing. 

Sixth, seventh and eighth grade pupils have 75 minutes daily 
in the shop; fourth and fifth grade have 45 minutes. 

Courses are given in manual training, printing, cobbling, cook- 
ing, sewing, weaving, crocheting, pillow-lace making and bas- 
ketry. Typewriting and telegraphy are to be added in the fall. 
This sounds like a formidable array of subjects, but not every 
child can do all. Because of his physical defects he is limited 
in choice. 

Manual Training — Fourth and fifth grade boys and girls 
have woodwork. During the last semester they have been making 
toys and doll furniture. This might be developed into the manu- 
facture of artistic handmade doll furniture as is made and sold 
at such exhorbitant prices in Huig Home, Mass. The cripple 
can not compete in quantity, but he could in quality. Wood- 
work is carried through the eighth grade, alternating with other 
subjects. 

20 



Printing — With the addition of the large printing press 
which has been ordered, the Spalding will have a printing equip- 
ment second to none. The course begins in the sixth grade for 
both boys and girls. Most of the problems result in material 
for classroom work. The most successful problems from every 
point of/ view was the Christmas cards, designed in the classes, 
printed and returned to the art classes for decoration. The re- 
sults proved that a child with even a limited artistic ability could 
earn his living in this single line of work. 

A graduate of the Spalding, a young man who has no use 
of his lower limbs, is running a paying printing establishment 
with two large motor presses and other modern equipment, pur- 
chased through his own efforts. He is heartily in sympathy with 
the work at the school, for the only instruction he ever received 
was there. 

Cobbling — A $50.00 outfit, equipment for six boys, was pre- 
sented to the school in June, 1915. During the past year the chil- 
dren have been kept well shod through the efforts of the boys. 
Recently, equipment was purchased which is to be loaned to boys 
who wish to make the experiment of establishing cobbling shops 
in their own homes or neighborhoods. 

Weaving — The school has four large foot looms, made and 
presented by the boys of the Lane High School, and six hand 
looms. The work is in its infancy for it was begun only in 
February, 1916. 

Several looms were loaned during the summer to children who 
are confined to wheel-chairs. These children find great joy in 
this work. One helpless girl, crippled and almost blind, says she 
lives from Friday until Monday waiting to get back to her loom. 
A gift of $100.00 was made to the school in June, the money to 
be used to buy equipment to give or to loan to such children. 

Cooking and Sewing — These courses as yet follow the regu- 
lar outlined course. During the coming year a special course 
in candy making is to be added. There is a big field in sewing 
for handmade clothes for infants. This is not tiresome work and 
is lucrative. A few of the older girls are to be introduced to this 
in combination with dainty pillow lace which they have learned 
to make within the last two months. One girl has shown such 
skill that she could now earn her living, if necessary, in this 
way. 

21 



While the handwork is not used for commercial purposes in 
the school life, it seems wise in this particular school to have the 
child learn its commercial value. The older children, especially 
those who cannot go out to play, are urged to carry on their work 
at home, and they are assisted in finding a market for their ar- 
ticles. 

The justification of the great per capita cost of such a school 
is not eight years of being different from his schoolmates, feeling 
"% can't go down in line as he can, I can't play as he plays, I 
can't follow some course of study, etc.," but "I can." Instead 
of being shielded and guarded and helped by the healthy normal 
child, he helps and guards one weaker. Every helpless child 
in the school is adopted by one less helpless and this without sug- 
gestion from any one. Every wheel-chair child has has friend, 
perhaps a child on two crutches, who waits on him and pilots 
him all day long. 

Most of these children will be useful citizens, taking their 
places in the business world, and some day Chicago will have one 
or more central workshops for the helpless ones, where they 
could be taken each day to work as they have been taken to 
school. Such a shop would be self-supporting. 

The graduates and former pupils of the school have formed 
an association and will hold regular meetings at the school dur- 
ing the coming year. It is hoped that valuable suggestions will 
be made by them. A mothers' club, it is hoped, will be the 
result of a mothers' meeting held recently. Through this means, 
parents can be reached by physicians recognized as authority in 
orthopedic work. 

Jane A. Neil, 

Principal. 

THE FALLON SCHOOL 

The increase in membership during the past year has taxed the 
school accommodations to the utmost. In September an addi- 
tional division (the third) was opened at present, owing to the 
addition of a, motor bus, the membership is such as to make the 
opening of a new division in September of this year imperative. 
The dining room no longer accommodates the children at lunch, 
and a large playroom had to be used for this purpose. By moving 
the manual training equipment to another part of the building 

22 



a room will be vacated, immediately adjoining those now occu- 
pied by the crippled children, which will be suitable for occu- 
pancy as a classroom. 

In general, we have attemped to conduct the work in such a 
manner as to make the children forget their infirmities, and to 
lose the morbid consciousness of difference from normal children. 
They must mingle in the work of the world, and in most cases 
their most certain road of improvement is through their taking 
on the suggestion of ability to do in a large measure what other 
children do, and play the games other children play. 

The modifications of this policy which conditions necessitate 
are due to physical infirmities which absolutely bar certain ac- 
tivities, and to certain pathological conditions, in which activity 
of a physical sort are harmful. 

The crippled child on first coming to school is apt to manifest 
a morbid consciousness of his ailment, and a stolidity and un- 
responsiveness, which have been the outgrowth of years of such 
separation from the sports and activities of the normal children 
about him. Often the crippled child has been a burden in the 
home he comes from, and with the intuition of a child, he has 
keenly felt it. Not being able to move about, he has lost touch 
with the physical world. He is not quick in his perceptions for 
lack of handling objects and playing freely among moving things, 
as normal children do. 

Or, if he comes from a more fortunate home, the same con- 
dition has resulted from the sedulous care of parents who have 
invalided him unnecessarily, and helped him into helplessness. 

The prevalence of these conditions presents the problems 
acutely to the special school, of encouraging and demanding the 
full range of activity and urging the child into normal relation- 
ship with his fellows and the world about him, with careful refer- 
ence to pathological conditions individual to each case. The 
means which have proven effective in securing these results are 
many. The free social intercourse in the bus and playroom, ade- 
quately supervised, gives the child a social alertness the crippled 
child at home can never experience. The free play which spon- 
taneously results, helps the child to forget himself, and leads to 
healthful normalizing activity, both mental and physical. 

The work of the school begins on this foundation, and just in 
proportion as these children have lost out in development on ac- 

23 



count of enforced inaction, the method of correction is emphasis 
on all forms of expression, which include free muscular activity 
and co-ordination of movements. 

Handwork of various kinds has proven effective in securing 
these results. Often a mentality otherwise superior has been un- 
developed only through imperfect muscular control, and in all 
such cases a careful adjustment of the work to individual capac- 
ity is of the utmost consequence. One of the needs of this de- 
partment is a construction work equipment that will secure to 
children this variety of activity so needed in adjusting the work 
to individual cases and in widening their experience in handling 
materials. 

The special physical exercises given weekly by Miss Rose 
Kearney have been productive of the most marked improvement 
in large number of cases, and have been beneficial in all. Each 
child has been given corrective gymnastics suited to his special 
needs. Children who never walked have acquired the strength 
and confidence they needed and others have secured greatly im- 
proved muscular control generally, which is reflected at once in 
quicker mind and more general interest in all the work of the 
school. If possible, such work should be given on two days a 
week, instead of one, as heretofore. 

Perhaps no more striking results have emerged from the ef- 
forts to give these children normal control of themselves than 
those which attended experiments in the use of rhythm and music 
in the development of free and harmonious activity. There is no 
question that music is a most powerful aid in co-ordinating the 
nervous and muscular development of these children that they 
attempt and succeed in activities that at first seemed impossible 
to them. 

I cannot speak in too high terms of Miss Elizabeth Roche, 
in employing song and rhythmic activity in this direction. The 
results have been decisive. Children who seemed unresponsive 
and dull have been developed under the influence of this work 
to a degree almost incredible, and have shown in all the asso- 
ciated academic work so marked a stimulus as to furnish con- 
clusive evidence of its value. 

The need for vocatonal training for the older children is more 
pressing than in the case of normal children who can adjust 
themselves more easily to the demands of society. Every effort 

24 



has been made in the case of older pupils graduating or other- 
wise leaving school to assist them by whatever means were avail- 
able to enter occupations in which they might secure a livelihood. 

The vocational training of crippled children presents a special 
problem. A considerable proportion really do earn their living 
after leaving school. To increase this number to the maximum 
would be to benefit society as well as these children. Not all 
occupations are open to them, and often they are unable to obtain 
those that might be open. A vocational teacher who would give 
the varied and specific training that might fit the older children 
to be self-supporting would be a most valuable influence in solv- 
ing this problem. Such a teacher would need special qualifica- 
tions to be in a position to give the necessary shop work and 
other training, and would also require a wide knowledge of the 
ocupations for which each child, in view of his qualifications and 
infirmities, is especially fitted. The duty of such a person might 
well be, by conference with child and parents, with vocational 
bureaus and employers, to help place each child where he might 
be of the greatest use to himself and the world. 

I wish to express my keen sense of the devotion and ability 
of all of the teachers in this department who have shown un- 
failing skill and sympathy in carrying on the work, and who have 
met the difficulties that have attended their work with the most 
unvarying patience and insight. 

James E. McDade, 

Principal. 
STATISTICS. 

Average Daily Membership 304.1 

Average Daily Attendance 288.9 

COST. 
Appropriations, fiscal year, 1916: 

Teachers' Salaries $14,905.00 

Educational Supplies 306.45 

Lunches «,7^nS 

Transportation 24,930.00 

Total -$40,441.45 

PER CAPITA. 

Tuition $ 51 -2J 

Educational Supplies -1" 

Lunches '•*> 

Transportation 80 -^ u 

Total $ 145 - 56 

25 



Juvenile Detention Home School 

The Juvenile Detention Home School received last year 3,898 
pupils, divided as follows : Delinquent boys, 2,535 ; dependent 
boys, 327; delinquent girls, 520; dependent girls, 516. 

The court disposed of 3,789 cases, leaving 109 pupils present 
at the close of the year. The average membership and average 
daily attendance for the year was 106.91. The average length of 
time any one pupil remained was 8.47 days. 

Most of the delinquent boys were confined for thieving. The 
majority of the girls were in trouble due to lax morals. The de- 
pendents were present largely on account of unfortunate home 
conditions. 

The total cost of the school was $10,906.50. This made an 
average cost of $2,795 (on the enrollment) per pupil, $2.46 for 
instruction, $0.32 for janitress and supplies. Reduced to the 
average cost per pupil per day it made a cost of 33 cents; 29 
cents for instruction and 4 cents for the janitress and supplies. 
The cost for supplies alone averaged $0,077 per pupil, or $0,009 
per day per pupil. 

COST 

Appropriation Fiscal Year 1916: 

Salaries $9,623.50 

Supplies .300 

Total $9,926.50 

Per capita (on average daily attendance) : 

Tuition $102.01 

Supplies . . . .300 



26 



The Frances Juvenile Home 

Burke School 

This Home was opened in 1909 to provide for the care and 
medical treatment of able-bodied children who are afflicted with 
unfortunate diseases (mainly hereditary), and give them the ad- 
vantages of a home-like environment and some regular school 
work. 

It is the only institution of its kind in the world, and in the 
past six years has cared for several hundred children. 

It is supported almost entirely by subscriptions. 

The majority of the children are sent by the Juvenile Court, 
though some are placed there by the various public and private 
charitable and social agencies. 

The condition of these little children who were deprived of 
regular school privileges appealed very strongly to our former 
Superintendent of Schools, Mrs. Young, who recommended that 
a schoolroom equipment and teacher be furnished by the Board 
of Education. This was done under the supervision of Miss 
English, District Superintendent. Since 1911, the records of this 
room have been kept in connection with the Burke School records. 

Owing to the physical condition of these children, they have 
but one session of school a day, in the forenoon, the teacher in 
charge teaching in the Chicago Home for Girls the other session. 
The average membership for the school year 1915-16 was thir- 
teen. This was as many as could be accommodated in the build- 
ing formerly occupied by the Home. In April, 1916, they moved 
into larger quarters where the school facilities are much better, 
but still quite inadequate for the increased membership. 

The present membership is twenty-five with more expected. 

A number of these children had had but little opportunity 
for school work before being placed in this Home, as they had 
been shifted from one institution to another. Those who re- 
mained with us most of the year have been able to make a regu- 
lar school grade in that time. 

The teacher in charge has been very sympathetic and success- 
ful in her work with these unfortunate little ones. 

27 



The management of the Home appreciates greatly the work 
she has been able to accomplish with these children who have 
been so handicapped. 

J. Clara Breese. 

Principal. 



Chicago Home for Girls 

Burke School 

This institution is for the care of delinquent girls who are 
placed here by the Juvenile Court. Their ages range from seven 
to eighteen years. 

Six years ago regular school work under the Chicago Public 
School system was begun in this Home with one teacher in 
charge. 

The average membership for several years has been about 
eighty. Two teachers are now employed, one for two sessions 
a day and one for evening session only. The girls also have 
cooking- and sewing lessons each week. 

Continual changes in membership with varying grades of 
mentality make the work difficult. The aim has been to make 
the work as practical as possible to meet the needs of these girls, 
a number of whom could hardly read and write when they en- 
tered, while others were capable of doing eighth grade work. 

Some quite young children have been admitted during the past 
year, requiring extra attention in the schoolroom. 

Many of the girls are mentally far below the normal. 

During the past year there has been a marked improvement 
in the attitude of the girls toward their teachers and their work. 
They have shown a desire to study and an increased interest in 
good literature. Great progress has been made in penmanship. 
Several girls who could hardly write their names now write very 
creditable letters. While the progress in academic work has been 
greater, far greater have been the lessons learned in self-control 
and obedience. 

J. Clara Breese, 

Principal. 



28 



Corrective Speech Work in the Chicago 
Public Schools 

The plan for treating cases of stammering and other speech 
defects in the public schools of Chicago, was determined upon by 
Superintendent Young, in February, 1910, as the result of a re- 
port made by her request by principals of the elementary schools. 
They reported that in 260 grammar schools there were 1,287 chil- 
dren with defects of speech. Later reports show a much larger 
number, probably because principals and teachers came to recog- 
nize the defects more readily by closer observation. The first 
survey showed that a majority of the cases were in the primary 
grades. Investigation proved that the decreasing numbers in 
the upper grades was due to the children becoming discouraged 
and leaving school, rather than that they outgrew the difficulty. 
Mrs. Young concluded that if intelligent measures were taken 
in the primary grades, when the speech organs were plastic, and 
speech habits were being formed, many children might be pre- 
vented from becoming habitual stammerers and stutterers. Ac- 
cordingly ten teachers were employed, under the supervision of 
Miss Virginia W. Freeman, of the Chicago Normal College, to 
give special instruction to the children in the schools who were 
defective in this respect, for the purpose of helping them gain 
control of their speech. 

Each of these teachers has a group of from six to ten schools, 
averaging about 100 pupils, to visit once, twice, or three times 
a week, according to the severity of the cases. They give in- 
struction in the correct way of speaking, not only to the child, 
but also to the grade teacher and parents, who are expected to 
co-operate. The parents are asked to review the given exercises 
daily at home, and the grade teacher to remind the child to fol- 
low the special teacher's instruction. Explanatory talks are made 
in each school to render the grade teachers more intelligent in 
this co-operation. 

The vocal defects dealt with are divided into two classes: 
Major, comprising stammering, stuttering and hesitation, and 
minor, including the several lisps, burring the r, defective ar- 

29 



ticulation, imperfect vowel moulding, nasability, lateral speech 
(where the sides of the tongue are used instead of the tip), and 
other disagreeable qualities. Although some of these defects 
are the result of malformations, such as a too highly arched 
roof of the mouth, an undershot jaw, tied tongue, cleft palate, 
and nasal obstruction, the majority are free from these diffi- 
culties. 

It is impossible to state what the course of treatment is for 
these various defects of speech, as each child has to be studied 
and treated individually. The minor cases are given drills and 
tongue gymnastics, both for flexibility and control of the tongue, 
and for ear training, as many of these children have made the 
sounds incorrectly for so long, that they cannot detect the dif- 
ference between normal speech and incorrect utterance. After 
the pupil can make each sound he is given reading practice, and 
story telling, until correct speech becomes automatic. 

The stammering and stuttering children are trained along four 
lines: Correct breathing, relaxation of mind and body, rhythm, 
and confidence. The length of time required to give each of 
these to the child varies, according to the severity of the case and 
the age of the pupil. 

During the past three years adult classes have been con- 
ducted in the evening schools with success. One of these cen- 
ters is situated on the west side, at the Marquette School, and the 
other on the south side, at the Wendell Phillips School. Al- 
though the same general plan used for the stammering children 
is followed in these classes, the problem is a much graver one, 
as the adults are less hopeful than children. 

Ethel Lyon, 
Dept. Defective Speech. 



DEFECTIVE SPEECH. 
Year of 1915-'16., ending June 23, 1916. 

1. Number schools visited in September 74 

2. Number of additional schools visited 20 

Total for year 94 

3. Number children examined 3,070 

4. Number children examined, found not defective in speech 397 

5. Number new cases in old schools 

6. Number major defects 1,103 

7. Number minor defects 1,570 

8. Number needing surgical or medical aid 721 

9. Number operations by family physician 

10. Number operations through school agencies 

Medical clinics 

Dental clinics 

11. Number mentally deficient 110 

12. Number major cases dismissed 485 

13. Number minor cases dismissed 651 

Total 1,136 

14. Number cases referred to Child Study Department 49 

15. Number for whom outings have been secured through different 
agencies 

COST 
Appropriation 1916, Teachers (nine) $9,360.00 



31 



Bedside Work at the County Hospital 

Marquette School 

In December, 1915, the Board of Education made possible 
a new humanitarian work by assigning a bedside teacher to the 
County Hospital. In makng the assignment the Board allotted 
no duties nor made no rules for the guidance of the work, but 
very wisely left the whole matter to shape itself as the needs and 
possibilities of the teaching might determine. Miss Flause A. 
Weldon a sixth grade teacher at the Ellen Mitchell, was the 
teacher who took up the work. 

The pupils were nearly all in Ward 42 ; they ranged from thir- 
teen to twenty years of age and were all girls. They were truly 
"shut-in." With almost no hope of recovery these young people 
were nevertheless most enthusiastic in receiving the teacher and 
trying to meet her requirements. A third grade education was 
the average of the group, one or two ranging considerably be- 
yond and one or two being barely able to read. To color these 
helpless lives and to stimulate these depleted natures was neither 
an easy nor a pleasing task, but nurses, attendants and other 
patients lent an air of eager interest and the work moved for- 
ward steadily. 

The girls were given handwork tasks at first, such as making 
baby shoes and caps, and they were taught to crochet. In a very 
short time a creditable amount of work was done and the prod- 
ucts, were put on sale for the benefit of the girls. As spring ap- 
proached a porch was opened for their comfort and a truly open- 
air school was in existence. 

Next, or in fact, at the same time, the girls were given a 
quantity of reading matter, especially geography work — a peep 
into the world was the idea. A curiously interesting point was 
noticed. Every girl was anxious to own a speller, and this was 
the one book of which they never tired. Perhaps it was the one 
book which most nearly typified to them the schoolroom of 
healthy childhood. 

When the work in Ward 42 was well in hand other wards 
were listed ; boys and youths were given suitable work. The 
boys showed the greatest interest in history and in topics of the 

32 



day, and both boys and girls were most happy and most atten- 
tive when regular school work was in progress. When their draw- 
ings and other papers were put upon the wall there was the keen- 
est interest. Does the traditional schoolroom leave its impress 
upon the race? 

This year the work is assuming more definite shape. The 
nursery on the first floor is being fitted up with a portable black- 
board, arm and tablet chairs and a teacher's desk. All who are 
able are going to be brought to the room daily, and for a reason- 
able period school is going to be conducted in the regular man- 
ner. A few will still have to be taught by the teacher moving 
about in the ward. 

One of the most helpful factors in this work has been the 
Social Service Bureau, headed by Miss Prentiss. Needs have 
been met, supplies have been furnishd and a most cheerful co- 
operation has at all times been evident. 

The future of this work must necessarily be problematical, 
but its practical merits and the need and advisability of continu- 
ing and extending it are undeniable. 

Mary E. Tobin, 

Principal. 



33 



Prevocational Center in the Ray School 

It is proposed that a prevocational center for boys be estab- 
lished in the Ray School under essentially the same regulations 
as those governing the admission of pupils to, and the organiza- 
tion of school work in the prevocational departments of the Chi- 
cago Technical High Schools. 

The center would be conducted for the purpose of caring for 
a limited number of retarded boys in the Ray School district, 
and in the adjoining districts. 

Another and perhaps a more important purpose of the center 
would be to facilitate the working out of appropriate courses of 
study for prevocational departments throughout the city. These 
courses would cover not only the technical work, such as shop- 
work and drawing, but also English, mathematics, science, and 
history. 

It is proposed that the Department of Education of the Uni- 
versity of Chicago co-operate in the organization of the center 
and in the working out of courses without expense to the city. 
The University is ready to place at the disposal of the center the 
necessary shop accommodations and to furnish the shop instruc- 
tion. The University will also contribute the services of certain 
graduate students who are studying the problem of the retarded 
pupil and the necessary readjustment of educational methods. 
These students are, generally speaking, mature men and women 
who have had several years of practical school experience as 
teachers, principals or superintendents. 

In Belfield Hall, which is about one block south of the Ray 
School. 

The center would be under the supervision of the Principal 
of the Ray School and under the immedate care of a Chicago 
teacher appointed by the Superintendent of Schools. The 
teacher of the class should have the rank and salary of an Eighth 
Grade teacher in the Prevocational Department of the Technical 
High School. 

The Department of Education of the University of Chicago 
stands ready to render any possible assistance to this teacher in 
the discharge of her duties, through conferences with the faculty 
or the supplying of information, and to grant free tuition for 
any work taken in the University. 

34 



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